Sunday, December 22, 2013

Who's Dumber - Phil Roberston or A&E?

“Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male
prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the
slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God.” - Duck Dynasty star Phil Roberston talking to a reporter for GQ magazine.

So people are suddenly up in arms. They've discovered (shocking news!) that a 67-year-old man, who was raised in the backwater swamps of Louisiana, and who considers himself a born-again Christian, doesn't like gay people and has fond memories of the days before the Civil Rights movement.

How, oh Divine Goddess, could he think these things? How can our tender ears stand to hear such things?

Hello?

Do you remember those times when you were young, and you were heading off to drive across the United States in some beat-up old car, and your mom came to the door looking somewhat like she didn't expect to see you again? Do you remember what she said to you then?

"When you get to the Deep South," she said, "don't stop."

And do you remember the time when you were flying to New Orleans, but the plane got sick and wound up landing in Shreveport? And for some reason lost in the mists of history, you decided to drive five and a half hours to New Orleans rather than wait around barricaded inside a hotel room?

And how by the end of it, all you could think was, "Jesus fucking Christ (how's that for a good Christian?), please let me get there before night falls."

Why did you feel that way? Let me remind you. Because them rednecks out there in the bush, they ain't like us. And they don't like us.

Sometimes I wonder just how short people's memories are. And sometimes I wonder if people are so addled by watching TV and looking at the computer all the time, that they've lost touch with reality. And sometimes I wonder if people are just always looking for something to be up in arms about.

Here's the thing about Phil Robertson. The man is entitled to his opinions. And we're entitled to disagree with him, and to criticize him. And I suppose that A&E Network might be entitled to fire him for expressing his opinions - I'd have to read his contract to know for sure.

But I don't think anyone should be surprised by Phil's opinions. This is especially true of A&E, since they hired him in the first place, they've been dealing with him for four years, and he's not exactly reluctant to share.

Here's Phil, making anti-gay remarks at a church in Pennsylvania, back in 2010: